For many people, the first thought is something like “Not yet”, or “Oh, I’m so tired”, or some form of complaint. A great way to start your day in a positive way is to catch your first thought upon arising, and if its anything less than “Thank you!” or “Another day here – how wonderful!” then change it. Don’t you think its funny that we wake up with an alarm clock? Its not a welcome to your day clock, it’s a clock that alarms us. Hmmm. You may find that by doing this simple practice of catching your first thought upon arising and then editing it, you will not only start your day more peacefully, but you will begin to bring more awareness into the rest of your day.

It can be alarming to recognize how much time we spend complaining. We complain about large and small problems; mostly about petty things. This is such a drain of energy, and yet many of us find ourselves complaining over and over again. It is interesting to note that when a true crisis arises, our pettiness drops, and we get our priorities straightened out. Unfortunately, in time, many of us lose this clear perspective and fall back into habitual negativity.

Changing your attitude is like going on a diet. You make a firm decision once, and then you are faced with making the same decision all day long. It requires awareness coupled with the willingness to change and the effort to do so. If we become aware that we are complaining and are willing to improve ourselves, we need to make a repeated effort to shift our perspective and change our attitude – change our thinking, our words, and our actions. One of the quickest routes to accomplish this is to move from complaint to gratitude.

If we remind ourselves to recognize our many blessings on a regular basis, we will naturally complain less. Gratitude means great attitude, or grateful attitude. It brings perspective and peace of mind.

Pati Kearns teaches Yoga and meditation at Dance Etc. Call 279-9523 for more information.

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